Lacoste-Lebuis, Lam-Feist named Canadian U-17 Players of the Year

Canadian teenagers Olivier Lacoste-Lebuis and Monica Lam-Feist have been named Canadian U-17 Players of the Year for the 2007 soccer season. The two stars were honoured in a vote shared by national-team coaches (50%) and Canadian coaches who have taken the Canadian Soccer Association's national course at the B and A levels (50%).

Lacoste-Lebuis is a member of the BMO Financial Group - Canadian men's U-17 team. In 2007, Lacoste-Lebuis represented Canada at the CONCACAF U-17 Championship in Kingston, Jamaica. He helped Canada post one win, one draw and two losses, although the team failed to qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Korea 2007.

The Montréal defender also earned kudos playing for Canada's youth U-20 team at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007. The 16-year old was the youngest player on the team. While he did not feature at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, he did play in three games in the Hyundai Canadian men's U-20 tour presented by Yahoo! Canada.

Lam-Feist is a member of the BMO Financial Group - Canadian women's U-17 team. In 2007, Lam-Feist suited up for Canada in all three preparatory camps. In Canada's first official U-17 friendly on 23 November, she scored the first goal in a 3:0 win over Chile.

The Surrey, BC forward also played above her age, seeing time with the Canadian development team that finished first at the International Soccer Festival in Birmingham and Montgomery, AL. The 16-year old was the youngest player on the team. She is a key player in Canada's plans for the first-ever FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup New Zealand 2008.

"In the last year, BMO Financial Group has taken a very significant leadership position in supporting the sport of soccer in Canada," says Sandy Bourne, VP Advertising, Sponsorship/Events and Merchandising, Corporate Marketing, BMO Financial Group. "This position involves active support through the Canadian Soccer Association at the grass roots and local community levels, and right up to the high performance programs - including the BMO National Championships and National Teams Program. On behalf of the entire BMO Team, all across Canada, we wish to offer sincere congratulations to Olivier Lacoste-Lebuis and to Monica Lam-Feist as the Canadian U-17 Players of the Year."

Tomorrow, the Canadian Soccer Association will announce the Canadian U-20 Players of the Year. The 2007 adidas Canadian Players of the Year will be announced on Tuesday (female selection) and Thursday (male selection) of this week.